Systems and methods for programming and controlling water delivery devices

• US 10,301,799 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2018
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kohler MIRA Limited (Kohler Company)
• Original Assignee: Kohler MIRA Limited (Kohler Company)
• Inventors: Thompson, Christopher Ian, Zhu, Xiangzhen
• Primary Examiner(s): Wathen, Brian W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shafayet, Mohammed
• Application Number:
  US15/910,670
• Publication Number:
  US 20180187399A1
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• Field of Search: 700282, 700283, 700284, 700285
• CPC Class Codes: E03B 7/075 Arrangement of devices for control of pressure or flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/055 Electrical control devices, e.g. with push buttons, control panels or the like
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/057 touchless, i.e. using sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 11/02 with all movable sealing faces moving as one unit
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 19/006 Specially adapted for faucets
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 31/02 electric F16K31/004 takes precedence; magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/08 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0635 by action on throttling means G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/87579 Faucet attachment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8766 With selectively operated flow control means

Abstract

A method for programming a water delivery device having a first optical communications interface is provided. The method includes physically coupling a communications bridge to the water delivery device. The communications bridge includes a second optical communications interface and a separate data communications interface. The method further includes transmitting information from a user device to the communications bridge using electronic data communications between the user device and the data communications interface; generating, by the communications bridge, an optical signal comprising the information received from the user device; and transmitting the optical signal from the communications bridge to the water delivery device using optical communications between the first and second optical communications interfaces.

Claims

1. A method for programming a water delivery device having a first optical communications interface, the method comprising:

physically coupling a communications bridge to the water delivery device by receiving a knob or handle of the water delivery device within an opening extending through the communications bridge, the communications bridge comprising a second optical communications interface and a separate data communications interface;

transmitting information from a user device to the communications bridge using electronic data communications between the user device and the data communications interface;

generating, by the communications bridge, an optical signal comprising the information received from the user device; and

transmitting the optical signal from the communications bridge to the water delivery device using optical communications between the first and second optical communications interfaces.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information received from the user device comprises configuration settings for the water delivery device, the method further comprising:

extracting the configuration settings from the optical signal;

storing the configuration settings within a memory of the water delivery device; and

using the stored configuration settings to control the water delivery device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the configuration settings for the water delivery device comprise at least one of configuration parameters for the water delivery device, a disinfection schedule, or a flush cycle.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising using the stored configuration settings to operate a mixing valve of the water delivery device.

5. A method for communicating with a water delivery device having a first optical communications interface, the method comprising:

physically coupling a communications bridge to the water delivery device by receiving a knob or handle of the water delivery device within an opening extending through the communications bridge, the communications bridge comprising a second optical communications interface and a separate data communications interface;

transmitting an optical signal from the water delivery device to the communications bridge using optical communications between the first and second optical communications interfaces;

generating, by the communications bridge, an electronic data signal comprising the information received from the water delivery device; and

transmitting the electronic data signal from the communications bridge to a user device via the data communications interface.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the user device comprises at least one of a user-operable mobile computing device, a user-operable non-mobile computing device, or a user-operable control panel.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

collecting usage information describing control operations performed by the water delivery device; and

storing the usage information within a memory of the water delivery device;

wherein the optical signal received from the water delivery device comprises the stored usage information.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the usage information comprises at least one of water usage, duty flush cycles, or thermal disinfection events.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

analyzing the usage information from the water delivery device using an analysis application running on the user device;

generating an updated configuration setting for the water delivery device based on a result of the analysis; and

transmitting the updated configuration setting to the water delivery device via the communications bridge.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising using the updated configuration setting to operate a mixing valve of the water delivery device.

11. A method for controlling a network of water delivery devices, the method comprising:

fluidly connecting one or more mixing valves to the network of water delivery devices such that each of the missing valves is fluidly connected to a discrete set of the water delivery devices, each of the mixing valves having a first optical communications interface;

physically coupling a communications bridge to the one or more mixing valves by receiving a knob or handle of the one or more mixing valves within an opening extending through the communications bridge, the communications bridge comprising a second optical communications interface and a separate data communications interface;

transmitting control signals from a controller to the communications bridge using electronic data communications between the controller and the data communications interface;

translating, by the communications bridge, the control signals into optical signals; and

transmitting the optical signal from the communications bridge to each of the mixing valves using optical communications between the first and second optical communications interfaces.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller is one of a plurality of controllers, each controller located in a different facility and configured to control a corresponding set of mixing valves located in that facility.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

establishing a communications link between the controller and a remote system via a communications network;

obtaining update data from the remote system via the communications link;

using the update data to update configuration settings stored within the controller; and

generating the control signals for the plurality of mixing valves using the updated configuration settings.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the remote system comprises an Internet file server; and

obtaining the update data from the remote system comprises providing the update data to the controller via the Internet.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the update data comprises at least one of updated firmware for the controller, updated control parameters used by the controller, or updated configuration settings for the controller.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising presenting, via a control panel, a user interface for monitoring and controlling at least one of the discrete sets of water delivery devices;

wherein the update data comprises an updated user interface for the control panel.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

collecting usage information describing control operations performed by the network of water delivery devices;

storing the usage information within a memory of the controller; and

reporting the usage information to the remote system via the communications network.